NFL lockout impending as two sides continue to talk

NFL Lockout Looming, No Deal Set

An NFL lockout in 2011 remains a distinct possibility as team owners and players continue to disagree on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The head of the players union DeMaurice Smith informed agents yesterday that the two sides have not made any progress to stave off an NFL lockout for the first time in more than 20 years. Smith did not disclose the details of the talks to the agents.

A federal mediator has been brought in to break the impasse. But one week later, little progress has been made except a toning down of the rhetoric from both sides under a news blackout. Points of contention about how to divide revenue and the salaries paid to rookies remain unresolved.

The next meeting is on Tuesday and another one may be scheduled for Wednesday ahead of an owners' meeting to discuss the situation among themselves.

During the meeting with the agents, Smith informed agents on what they could do in the case of a lockout. For instance, college prospects can only be contacted by agents up until draft day and free agents will not be able to sign contracts until an NFL lockout is over.

"The owners need to be concerned, too," agent Drew Rosenhaus said. "They've invested a tremendous amount of money in the players that they have under contract. There's no way for them to get better. They can't sign guys. They can't make trades. They're limited during the draft."

Football fans can only watch and hope that the differences between the two sides can be ironed out to prevent an NFL lockout of the 2011 season.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Sunday February 27 2011, 3:54 AM EST. Ref: NY Times. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0